Kittery 4th-grader suspended for threatening graffiti

KITTERY, Maine — A fourth-grade Shapleigh Middle School student has been suspended, after writing threatening graffiti on playground equipment that he apparently paraphrased from the cartoon “Scooby-Doo.”

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By Deborah McDermott

seacoastonline.com

By Deborah McDermott

Posted May. 2, 2014 at 11:07 AM
Updated May 2, 2014 at 11:11 AM

By Deborah McDermott

Posted May. 2, 2014 at 11:07 AM
Updated May 2, 2014 at 11:11 AM

» Social News

KITTERY, Maine — A fourth-grade Shapleigh Middle School student has been suspended, after writing threatening graffiti on playground equipment that he apparently paraphrased from the cartoon “Scooby-Doo.”

Superintendent of Schools Allyn Hutton said in an email to parents and teachers sent Thursday evening that the student “did not intend to harm anyone and did not understand how this would affect others.”

The words “If you go to Shapleigh you'll die. I will get my revenge” were written in pen on playground equipment discovered Tuesday.

Hutton sent out an email to parents that night informing them of the situation saying that such threats “are always taken seriously by the Kittery school staff.” School Resource Officer Rachel Horning immediately launched an investigation, she said.

As a result, on Wednesday, she received an email from a parent whose child had witnessed the student write the message. On Thursday, said Hutton, Principal Anne Ellis met with the student, who confessed to writing the threat.

Hutton said she has since learned that some characters on “Scooby-Doo” talk about getting “revenge.” She said the student was too young to “really understand the consequences” of the words.

She said the child's parents, however, “immediately understood the severity of the situation” and have cooperated fully with school officials.

The student was suspended for four days, beginning Thursday, and will return to school next Tuesday, Hutton said. The words were immediately removed from the playground equipment, she said.

Police Chief Theodor Short said the investigation into the incident remains ongoing, but said police are taking into consideration the age of the student.

He wants to send the message that “we take these threats seriously. You can't be making threats like that, not in this environment anymore” with so many incidents of violence at schools.

On the other hand, he said, “in this particular case, it may not be that criminal prosecution is the best direction to go in. The school will probably deal with the bulk of it.”